It’s 2011 and with months of planning under our belts, the Riverwest Public House Cooperative has gone from the idea of a few to a reality shared by many.

Legal: Over the past month we’ve squared away all of our paperwork including our bylaws, articles of incorporation to become a cooperative, liquor license application, occupancy permit and insurance. We also solidified our structure by clarifying what decisions are made by our membership, which are made by the Board of Directors, and which are made by committees. To see some of these documents as well as more about how we’re structured, check out our Public House Manifesto.

Space: In December we also signed a lease for our space (815 E Locust St) and have been working steadily to make it amazing. Our first step has been to prime and paint over all of the walls and ceiling which the previous bar had painted dark gray and black. Here are some pictures from our most recent work day:

Membership: To date we’ve got about 60 members of which about a third are lifetime members! While this is fantastic, we need more members! Until we open and are able to start bringing in a sales revenue, all of our money has been derived from membership, member loans and fund-raising events. If you haven’t bought your membership yet, you can purchase yours at FischbergerVariety Store, 2445 North Holton St.

All in all, the Riverwest Public House Cooperative is well on its way to opening early this spring! Thank you to the dozens of people who have continued to volunteer their time, all of our members and everyone else who’s shown support!